Helmet shell suspension with adjustable height sweat band



June 11, 1963 H. w. AUSTIN 3,092,337

HELMET SHELL SUSPENSION WITH ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT SWEAT BAND Original FiledNov. 26, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ARRY W AUSTIN BY 16 25 Afifokne/S H. W. AUSTIN June 11, 1963 HELMETSHELL SUSPENSION WITH ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT SWEAT BAND Original Filed Nov.26, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E 5.1.. 1 Qm u/ /v Bi &.\

INVENTOR. HARRY (4/. 41/57 M BY MW 7 3,692,837 Patented June 11, 19633,02,837 HELMET SHELL SUSPENSION WITH ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT SWEAT BAND HarryW. Austin, Monroeville, Pa., assignor toMine Safety Appliances Company,Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsyivania v 7 Original applicationNov. 26, 1958, Ser. No. 776,615, now Patent No. 3,020,551, dated Feb.13, 1962. Divided and this application Aug. 31, 1961,-Ser. No. 135,288

4 Claims. (Cl. 2-3) This invention relates to suspensions for protectivehelmet shells, and more particularly to those equipped with sweat bandsthat can be adjusted vertically in the suspensions. This application isa division of my copendin-g patent application Serial Number 776,615,filed November 26, 1958, now Patent No. 3,020,551, granted February 13,1962.

One of the factors that determines the amount of protection provided bya protective hat or helmet is the space or clearance between the top ofthe wearers head and the inside of the helmet shell. The greater thisdistance, the greater the protection because there is less likelihood ofthe shell being driven down against the head by an impact against theshell. The usual helmet suspension, which fits over the head andsupports the helmet, has a lace at the top of its cradle so that thesuspension can be adjusted to fit heads of different crown heights.Thus, a person with a high crown lengthens the lace so that his headwill extend farther up into the helmet, while a person with a low crownshortens the lace to reduce the height of the suspension. An objectionto this manner of adjustment is that a person with a high crown may letout the cradle adjustment lace to the point where the top of his headwill [practically touch the top of the helmet shell. On the other hand,if the suspension is not adjustable in height the sweat band may ridetoo high on the head of a person with a high crown and too low aroundthe head of a person with a low crown.

it is among the objects of this invention to provide a hat suspension,in which the crown clearance at the top remains constant, and in whichthe sweat band can be moved manually up and down in the lower part ofthe head cradle to permit that band to be adjusted vertically.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

iG. 1 is a bottom or inside view of a helmet;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section taken on the line iiii ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary isometric view of a connection between a cradlestrap and the headband;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side view of a headband, showing a modifiedmanner of supporting it;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line VV of FIG. 4; and

FIGS. 6 and 7 are views similar to FIGS. 4- and 5, respectively, of afurther embodiment of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the rigid shell of aprotective hat or helmet has a dome-shaped crown 1 surrounded at itsbottom by an integral brim 2. Inside of the shell there is a suspension,by which the shell is supported and held in position on the head of awearer. The suspension includes a head-receiving cradle formed fromstraps 3 of any suitable material which extend across the top of thehead. The lower ends of the straps may be fastened in any suitablemanner to the lower part of the shell in order to support it. Forexample, the lower ends of the straps may be looped through slots 4 inrigid rectangular anchors 5 that are slipped up into centrally slottedpockets 6 molded into the side wall of the shell.

Disposed inside the lower portion of the cradle is a headband, generallyconsisting of a backing band 8 and a 'sweat'band 9. The backing band isa relatively stiff strip of material which is flexible enough to conformto the contour of a head, but stiff enough to avoid flexing or curlingvertically. The sweat band is a softer strip of material that has oneedge secured in any suitable manner to the outer surface of the backingband. The sweat band extends below the backing band and then is foldedup across its inner surface.

As shown in FIG. 3, the backing band is provided at opposite edges ofeach strap with two pairs of vertical slits to form a pair of verticalloops 10 which receive the opposite ends of a head-band supportingmember 11. This member is strong and relatively stiff, most suitablybein made from a synthetic plastic. The central portion of thesupporting member extends upwardly along the inner'surface of the lowerportion of the adjoining strap and is provided with a pair of horizontalslots to form a horizontal loop 12 between them. This loop extendstigh-tly around the looped lower portion of the strap in firm frictionalengagement with it. To keep the strap from bending into the supportingmember opening formed by the outstruck loop 12, it is desirable toinsert a stiffening member in the strap loop. This stiffening member maybe a fiat plate 13 that is held in place by a rivet 14 through it andthe adjoining layers of the strap. The upper end of the plate can beprovided with laterally projecting cars 15 that will limit the distancethe supporting member can be moved up the strap.

To adjust the headband vertically in the head cradle, the supportingmembers 11 are slid up or down on the cradle straps. The frictionbetween the supporting members and the straps is sufiicient to hold theheadband at any desired level, because there is very little forcetending to move the headband up or down while the hehnet is on the head.With this construction the headband can be adjusted to the proper heightfor the head on which the helmet is being worn. Of course, thecircumference of the headband can be adjusted in any well-known mannerif desired.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the headband supportingmember 17 is provided with a vertical slot 18, through which a stud Hextends. The stud also extends through the adjoining portion of thecradle strap 20 and the stiffening member 21 in the strap loop. Theheads of the stud overlap the outer surface of the strap and the innersurface of the supporting member and press that member and the straptightly together. Nevertheless, if it is desired to change the elevationof the headband 22 in the cradle, the supporting member can be slid upor down the strap because the vertical slot 18 will permit suchmovement. The frictional engagement between the supporting member andthe strap will hold the former in any position to which it has beenadjusted.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 the lower endsof the cradle straps 25 can be connected to a helmet shell in the sameWay as those just described, or they can be provided with loops thatreceive a lace 26 that extends in and out of the shell through holes atcircumferentially spaced points in a well-known manner. The lower endsof the straps are connected by a relatively stiff band 27 attached tothem by rivets 23 or the like. Between the straps the band is providedwith parallel slots 29 that receive studs 30 projecting from the backingband 3-1 of a headband. A washer 32 may be mounted on each stud betweenthe two bands. A sweat band 33 is fastened to the outer surface of thebacking band below the studs and extends around its lower edge and upacross its inner surface. The slots extend up and down, preferably at aninclination. Of course, they are all inclined in the same direction.With inclined slots there is less chance of the headband slippingvertically in the cradle than if the slots were vertical, especiallysince the headband cannot move up or down without simultaneouslyrotating in the cradle. To adjust the height of the headband in thecradle, the headhand is rotated, whereupon the studs will have to slideup or down in the inclined slots and thereby cause the headband to movevertically. Friction between the relatively sliding surfaces will holdthe headband in any desired position.

I claim:

*1. A helmet shell suspension comprising a plurality of straps forming ahead-receiving cradle member having its lower part formed for attachmentto a helmet shell to support the shell, a headband member disposedinside the lower part of the cradle member, headband supporting meansdisposed between said members and connected to one of them and providedwith slots extending up and down, and studs secured to the other memberand extending through said slots to hold it tightly against the slottedmeans but permitting relative manual up and down movement of said othermember and slotted means in frictional engagement to adjust the headbandmember bodily vertically in the cradle member.

2. A helmet shell suspension comprising a head-reoeiving cradle havingits lower part formed for attachment to a helmet shell to support theshell, a headband disposed inside the lower part of the cradle, andheadband-supspaced slots extending up and down, means fastened to the.lower part of the cradle adapted to attach it to a helmet shell tosupport the shell, a headband entirely disposed inside sa-id cradleband, and studs mounted in the headband and extending through said slotsfor pressing said bands tightly together but 'permiting the headband tobe bodily moved manually up and down in the cradle to change theelevation of the headband therein.

4. A helmet shell suspension according to claim 3, in which all of saidslots are inclined in the same direction References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Ruggiero Apr. 16, 1946 Austin Dec. 20,1960

1. A HELMET SHELL SUSPENSION COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF STRAPS FORMING A HEAD-RECEIVING CRADLE MEMBER HAVING ITS LOWER PART FORMED FOR ATTACHMENT TO A HELMET SHELL TO SUPPORT THE SHELL, A HEADBAND MEMBER DISPOSED INSIDE THE LOWER PART OF THE CRADLE MEMBER, HEADBAND SUPPORTING MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID MEMBERS AND CONNECTED TO ONE OF THEM AND PROVIDED WITH SLOTS EXTENDING UP AND DOWN, AND STUDS SECURED TO THE OTHER MEMBER AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOTS TO HOLD IT TIGHTLY AGAINST THE SLOTTED MEANS BUT PERMITTING RELATIVE MANUAL UP AND DOWN MOVEMENT OF SAID OTHER MEMBER AND SLOTTED MEANS IN FRICTIONAL ENGAGEMENT TO ADJUST THE HEADBAND MEMBER BODILY VERTICALLY IN THE CRADLE MEMBER. 